Wednesday, December 31, 2008

I've been reading Ali Edwards blog off and on. Her blog was the whole reason I did the December Daily Album which was quite fun and available for viewing on flickr.

She has had a few posts about picking a word for the New Year. Not a word about what is happening in the world, but a word just for yoursef. One to focus on, meditate on, aspire to be.

When I chanced upon Ali's post today over 90 people had told her what their personal word for the year will be in her comments. Amazing. I just checked again and over 300 people have told her what word they have chosen for the Year ahead. Maybe it is because she is having a give away too.

Check it out and then hit the links to the artists that make the charming necklaces she is giving away.

So,

I've been thinking about words when I haven't been thinking about patterns and yarn.

I'm full of words. Possibilities include:

Possibility.

Nourish or nurture.

Thrive, blossom, flourish.

Zeal-enthusiasm, fire, passion.

Strength

Do

Enjoy.

Lots of Great words.

Which one will I choose. I have a hard time making up my mind. I think it is because as a child I was not given choices.

Monday, December 29, 2008

My brother came through as usual. I have new tools for bookbinding and a gift certificate to Knit Picks.

Seriously we all had a wonderful Christmas. I even finished mom's socks!

Jordan, Mariah and I spent the day after watching movies and eating pizza and popcorn, then we gathered to finish up leftover's at Mom's house. A bit of knitting was done while watching movies.

I have been looking through old magazines, oogling patterns and pictures on Ravelery and searching the web for ideas of just what I want to knit in the new year. Planning, that's what I'm doing. I wouldn't call it wasting my time.

I usually do actually ... knit in the New Year as opposed to ringing it in. I wonder what I'll start this year. In the past it has been lace. It may be a hat. I haven't knit a hat in ages. It will not be a cowl. I've knit 3 of those in the last 2 weeks. Anita will of course chime in and tell me to finish "The FLAK".

It won't be New Year's knitting, but now that I've got mom's socks knit and the toes knit 2x, I may just pull out that sweater. It would be nice to finally finish.

For an interesting insight about sock yarns check out Claudia's blog. Pretty hand dyed cushy sock yarns vs. hard wearing sock yarns like opal and trekking. My favorite commercial sock yarn is trekking. I haven't kept a pair of opal yet. Maybe those will be the next socks on the needles.

I was looking for good soup and stew recipes that include kale, since I had a huge bag of those greens sitting in my fridge. I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian at this time. However we do eat several veggie meals a week.

I did change it up a bit.I admit I only ever follow baking recipes exactly.

I used regular baking potato's, 2 med. onions, white beans and vegetable broth. I thickened the whole thing with flour and water that I put in an old sippy cup and shook it up. I keep that sippy cup for just this purpose. Much easier than trying to whisk it together as far as I'm concerned.

I use turkey smoked sausage instead of pork kielbasa. (allergy) Also, I usually saute an onion for that one too. We use lots of onions and garlic at our house. I also use more kale than called for in either of these recipes. The killer on the RR stew is the grated cheese. I usually use Romano instead of Parmesan. How ever it is freshly grated. Even when we were really poor and the kids were little we used good cheese, not shaker cheese. It wasn't until Jordan was a teen and started making some of her own food that there was a "blue box" in the house.

Tonight we are having another vegetarian meal. Chili. I use Morning Star meal starters fake ground beef in it. Onion, garlic, celery, carrot, tomato'sblenderized, about 6 oz of tomato paste, pinto beans & great northern beans. In the past I've used black beans too and mushrooms and corn and green chili peppers. ( I don't use red and green peppers because someone wont eat them.) We garnish at the table with more chili powder and sharp cheddar cheese.Some people in this area also add pasta. Not me. You'll notice I didn't give measurements or what spices. That is because I didn't measure.

Friday, I washed socks. Just in time for it to get really cold. I have many pairs of handknit socks, but I wear these the most. The ones on the far right are handspun and thicker than the others. I believe I will wear those today.The temp says it is 13 degrees outside right now. It was 8 degrees at 7 this morning.It is bright and Very Sunny.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Last night was wet and chilly so I made something warm and comforting for dinner. Potato, white bean and kale stew. Spider cornbread on the side. Spider is the old name for a cast iron skillet. I use this skillet almost exclusively for cornbread. This was Wonderful. It was the first time I'd made this stew and I will be making it again. Even Mariah ate the kale.

Today started off very wet and turned very windy, but the temp is at least 60 degrees. It is balmy. Almost feels like tornado weather. I went by Grinny Possum this afternoon and bought myself some presents.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Finally finished and Mailed yesterday! I glued bits of music paper and puzzle paper and even the test paper that you fill in the little circles on to wooden stars. Then I used modgepodge to put a holly tissue paper on the stars. Glued the little girl image and buttons on last. I think they turned out rather well.

Today we are having what the weather people call a Wintery mix. sleet, freezing rain, rain, and some snow.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

This first week of December has just whooshed by so fast. This is a picture heavy blog post.

I got my hair cut on Tuesday. It had been a VERY long time since my last hair cut.

Then Dave and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary on the 3rd. We went out to eat with Jordan and Mariah and they didn't fight at all. It was a nice evening. Dave wasn't supposed to get me anything, but of course he couldn't help himself. So I have a certificate for a body massage at Elements. He also gave me white gold hoop earrings. They were the "gift" from Norton Hospital that he picked for having been there 20 years. LOL. There weren't many items for men to pick and almost all of the items had the Norton logo on them. The earrings didn't and are quite nice.

Friday, Mom had me meet her at an Estate sale before I'd even had coffee. I bought too much. The woman who used to live there was in Mom's quilt group. Sue did lots of different crafts and taught a lot of people. I picked up some hand made lace and lots of steel double pointed needles and some other lace tools that I have no clue about. If you know what some of the stuff is in the pictures, please let me know. I also bought 2 lace books that I didn't have for $1 each.

The one not pictured is a Walker book.

After I finally ate breakfast I dropped Bailey off to be groomed. He looks so handsome now. I also went to my friend Sally's house for some show and tell and crafting. We made little seasonal necklaces with a kit she had from Artchix. Too cute! I also gave her a Christmas present and a binder book I'd made. She plans on using the binder book as a Christmas present for her husband. She is going to make it into a garden journal for him.

I went back this morning to the Estate sale to pick up some of the tatted lace, as after the sale I feel some of this stuff would be thrown out. At least with me I can admire them and give them to friends who would care about them.

Dave has guard this weekend and a couple of Christmas parties, that I'm not going to. It is snowing a bit too. I think I'll stay home and knit on Christmas presents. I'll also catch up on the December Daily album.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Earlier I told about the album I had started to record what happens daily in December. It is really worth it to check out the Flickr site with over 300 different books.

The whole project has reminded me of a book by Madeline Le'Engle called "The 24 Days Before Christmas". In this children's book the family does something small but special every day to celebrate the season.

What a Great way to decorate and celebrate. To do something everyday. To Mindfully do something to celebrate everyday. It doesn't have to be about Christmas. My family celebrates several special days in December.

Today is December 1st so Today, I started small. I hung the wreaths on our doors. I also gave Owen, my little friend across the street, an Advent Calendar.

We have had what the weathermen call "a wintery mix" all day. Rain, sleet & snow. None of it really stuck so there are just a few places in the yard with a bit of white.

On the knitting front. I think I am over scarves for a bit. I received some yarn from my secret pal at work. Two balls each a different color. What to do? Knit scarves. I am almost done with the second Yarn Harlot One Row Scarf and believe me I am ready to be done.

The pattern is *K2, K1 through the back loop, P1.... repeat from the * end row with K2. So cast on a multiple of 4 + 2.